Pataki proposes New York mercury rules tougher than federal marks

Pataki proposes New York mercury rules tougher than federal marks

New York (Platts)--26May2006

New York Governor George Pataki has proposed regulations governing
mercury emissions that would be more stringent than pending federal rules, and
that would prohibit trading.

Under a proposal the Republican governor issued late Thursday, coal-fired
power plants would have to cut their mercury emissions by 50% compared with
current levels by 2010 and by 90% by 2015.

Under the Clean Air Mercury Rule (CAMR), the federal government would
require 70% reductions in emissions by 2018 and would allow trading.

But New York, like several other states, opposes trading because of "hot
spots" of mercury near the plants. So, under the proposed New York rule, all
coal plants in the state would have to install controls.

Pataki's initiative is to be pursued by the state Department of
Environmental Conservation, which would propose draft regulations and invite
comments on them.

In the first phase of implementation, the state would establish a cap of
786 lb on emissions, representing a 50% reduction by 2010. The second phase
would establish a unit-based limit for each coal plant, resulting in a 90%
decrease and lowering overall levels to about 150 pounds annually.

The second phase would require emission reductions consistent with those
that could be achieved with "maximum available control technologies." New York
is the latest state to propose or implement tougher rules than CAMR with
others including Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois and New Jersey.

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